Rafael Betancourt

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**Rafael Betancourt**
Major League Baseball debut
Cleveland Indians — No. 63
Relief Pitcher
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
July 13, 2003 for the Cleveland Indians
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006)
Wins-Losses	14-15
ERA	3.26
Innings pitched	229
Strikeouts	233
Saves	9
Former teams
Cleveland Indians (2003–present)

Rafael José Betancourt (b. April 29, 1975 Cumaná, Sucre State, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who has pitched with the Cleveland Indians since 2003. He was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox in September 1993. The Red Sox released him following the 1999 season and then resigned him as a free agent in December 2000. He was granted free agency again in October 2001 and signed with the Indians in January 2003. On July 8, 2005 he became the 6th MLB player to be suspended for testing positive in steroids testing.

According to Baseball America, Betancourt may be the future closer for the Indians. His best pitches are a curveball which is often mistakenly called a slider, and a 90-94 MPH fastball. He also throws a change-up. Although he's not classified as a strikeout pitcher, Betancourt gets more than his share by throwing a significant number of strikes. He is a converted outfielder with a metal plate and six screws in his pitching elbow.

See also